different between mythical vs apocryphal

English

Etymology

myth +? -ical

Pronunciation

• enPR: m?th'?k?l, IPA^(key): /?m???k?l/

Adjective

mythical (comparative more mythical, superlative most mythical)

1. Existing in myth.
2. (by extension) Not real; false or fabricated.

Synonyms

• mythic
• legendary

Derived terms

• mythicality
• mythicalness

Translations

See also

• mythological

English

Etymology

From Late Latin apocryphus (“secret, not approved for public reading”), from Ancient Greek ????????? (apókruphos, “hidden, obscure”, thus “(books) of unknown authorship”), from ??? (apó, “from”) + ?????? (krúpt?, “I hide”). Properly plural (the singular would be apocryphon), but commonly treated as a collective singular. “Apocryphal” meaning “of doubtful authenticity” is first attested in English in 1590.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p?k??f?l/, /??p?k??f?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??p??k??f?l/, /??p??k??f?l/

Adjective

apocryphal (comparative more apocryphal, superlative most apocryphal)

1. (Christianity) Of, or pertaining to, the Apocrypha.
2. (by extension) Of doubtful authenticity, or lacking authority; not regarded as canonical. [from 1590s]

   Synonyms: allonymous, spurious

   Antonym: canonical

3. (by extension) Of dubious veracity; of questionable accuracy or truthfulness; anecdotal or in the nature of an urban legend.

   Synonym: anecdotal

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• Apocrypha on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Apocryphal Literature in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)